MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The seventh-ranked Muleriders return to the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex, as Southern Arkansas looks to take to Dawson Field for a weekend series with the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs.
 
Start Times
Southern Arkansas will start its weekend against SWOSU with the series doubleheader starting at 4:00 PM on Friday (Mar. 20), with the series finale set for a 12:00 PM start on Saturday (Mar. 21).
 
Broadcast Information
This weekend's contests will be broadcast live on the Southern Arkansas University Hudl Fan Page with Dan Gregory and Ryan Phillips calling all of the action.

 
Series History
SAU vs. SWOSU | Mar. 20-21
51^st Meeting: SAU leads series 41-9
First Meeting: 3/10/2012 – SAU won 4-1 (Magnolia, Ark.)
Last Meeting: 3/22/2025 – SAU won 3-0 (Weatherford, Okla.)
 
SAU Notables

• The Muleriders come off their third-straight sweep in GAC action, and their fourth series win, as No. 7 Southern Arkansas took down Northwestern Oklahoma State on the road with 8-7 (8 inn.), 5-1, and 11-0 wins. SAU now sits at 26-2 overall with an 11-1 record in conference play and a 12-game winning streak (t-4^th DII).
• With the most recent release of the NFCA/GoRout DII Top 25, Team 28 holds up seventh in the rankings, with the group being the second-highest ranked team from the Central Region.
• The Blue and Gold have been impressive all around, as the group leads the GAC in multiple statistical categories, such as batting average (.367 | 5^th DII), doubles (55 | 11^th DII), doubles per game (1.96 | 15^th DII), earned run average (2.36 | 27^th DII), hits (285 | 6^th DII), hits allowed per seven innings (5.45 | 12^th DII), on-base percentage (.453 | 5^th DII), RBI per game (6.96 | 5^th DII), runs batted in (195 | 6^th DII), scoring offense (7.61 | 5^th DII), shutouts (6 | 15^th DII), slugging percentage (.584 | 3^rd DII), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.20), total runs (213 | 6^th DII), total sacrifice flies (13 | 13^th DII), triples (7), triples per game (0.25), and WHIP (1.17 | 21^st DII).
• Southern Arkansas continues to be led in batting by Maddie Leal, as the lead-off has recorded an average of .494 at the plate (13^th DII). The grad student stays at the top of the leaderboard for hits (42 | 18^th DII) and on-base percentage (.598 | 10^th DII), while also boasting the 13^th-best average for walks per game in the nation, averaging 0.86 walks per game (3^rd GAC). The Muleriders' top scorer has been Sophia Luetticke, as the Chillicothe, Missouri local has plated 36 runs, which ranks first in the GAC and fourth in Division II. Luetticke's runs scored per game sits at 1.29, to rank first in the conference and tenth in the nation.
• In the circle for Team 28, the pitching staff has been primarily led by grad student Emma Duncan, as the Canadian has pitched 96.2 innings (1^st GAC | 10^th DII) and leads the league in complete games (9 | 19^th DII), games started (16 | 4^th DII), hits allowed per seven innings (3.84 | 8^th DII), shutouts (5 | 3^rd DII), strikeouts (103 | 3^rd DII), strikeouts per seven innings (7.5), and WHIP (0.92 | 21^st DII). Duncan ranks second in the GAC for a few categories, such as earned run average (1.74) and victories (13 | 6^th DII).

 
SWOSU Notables

• The Bulldogs come into the weekend with an overall record of 9-20 and a league record of 3-9. Most recently in GAC action, SWOSU clinched its first series win of the season after winning two of three against Arkansas-Monticello. Following the Bulldogs' first series victory of the campaign, the unit swept a doubleheader on the road against Newman University with 8-6 and 13-4 wins.
• In the league, SWOSU has been solid when it comes to extra base hits, as the group ranks second in the GAC for triples with six. The squad is fifth in the conference for runs scored with 104.
• At the plate, the group has been led by Maddie Rahon in batting average, with the redshirt senior accounting for a .338 BA. The native of Placentia, California leads the group in hits with 26, but the unit's leader in runs batted in has been Josie Oakley with 16 RBI.
• The squad has seen decent play in the circle, as the group has seen the best ERA from Alexis Taylor, a sophomore from Frisco, Texas. Taylor has recorded a 3.03 average up to now, while also leading SWOSU in innings pitched (60.0) and strikeouts (58). With the second-most innings pitched on the staff (49.1), Blaire Gentry has been solid for the Bulldogs, with the redshirt senior boasting the league's best average for walks allowed per seven innings (1.14).

 
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